Mounting clip



June 30, 1970 s, KACHEL I 3,517,417

MOUNTING CLIP Filed April 2, 1968 R\\\\\\\\\\\\ up a0 24 F195 24 1s I2 22 Q N, 20

' 34 Stanley Kache/ INVENTOR.

BY WM mm United States Patent 3,517,417 MOUNTING CLIP Stanley Kachel, 27215 Sylvan, Warren, Mich. 48093 Filed Apr. 2, 1968, Ser. No. 718,067 Int. Cl. A44b 21/00 US. CI. 24-81 2 Claims ABSTRACT on THE DISCLOSURE A spring metal clip deformed so as to define an article receiving and grasping loop having a pair of legs extending radially therefrom and forming, at the outer ends thereof, a pair of inwardly directed gripping jaws. The legs include oppositely directed bowed portions which can be selectively manipulated so as to effect an opening of the jaws for a mounting of the clip.

The instant invention is generally concerned with mounting devices, and more specifically relates to a mounting clip incorporating both an article receiving and holding portion and integral mounting jaws.

It is a primary object of the instant invention to provide an inexpensive one piece mounting clip capable of, through the specific configuration of the spring metal body thereof, both retaining an article, for example a Christmas decoration light, and being releasably mountable on a support.

Further, a significant object of the instant invention resides in the provision of a clip which can be easily mounted or removed as desired, utilizing one hand.

In conjunction with the above object, a significant object of the instant invention resides in the provision of a clip which, when mounted, firmly anchors itself to the support structure and provides for a positive retention of the article being mounted by the clip.

Basically, the clip of the instant invention is made of spring metal formed so as to define an article receiving loop at one end thereof, a pair of gripping jaws at the other end thereof, and an intermediate manipulating section which can be grasped so as to bias the jaws open.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the mounting clip of the instant invention incorporating an article to be supported therein;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the clip of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the clip of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the mounting clip in use in securing a decorative light to the fascia board of a building; and

FIG. 5 is a modified form of the clip.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral is used to generally designate the clip comprising the instant invention. This clip 10 is formed of resilient spring steel, or other appropriate metal, and is wire-like in nature, defining a particular configlration including an article receiving portion 12 at one end thereof, a mounting portion 14 at the other end thereof, and an intermediate manipulating portion 16.

In defining the three portions which comprise the clip 10, the wire-like member is formed into a generally circular article receiving loop 18, the opposite end portions 20 of which converge outwardly toward each other, terminating in radially extending adjacent leg portions 22. The leg portions 22 extend into oppositely directed integral bowed portions 24 which project laterally out of the common plane, indicated by the line 26 in FIG. 2, of the loop 18, converging portions 20 and parallel leg portions 22. The two bowed portions 24 in turn terminate in a pair of oppositely directed generally linear portions 28 which cross each other at approximately the plane 26, extending through this plane and therebeyond, past the opposite bowed portion. The extreme ends of the portions 28 terminate in integral reversely bent hook-forming portions 30 having sharpened tips 32 thereon so as to define in effect a pair of inwardly directed mounting jaws, these jaws, due to a slight lateral offset in each portion 28 beyond the plane 26, being coplanar or directly opposed each other as will be best appreciated from FIG. 3.

As noted above, and in FIG. 2, the loop 18, converging portions 20 and parallel leg portions 22 are located in substantially a common plane. FIG. 3 illustrates that each leg of the clip 10, including the portions 22, 24, 28 and 30, is in turn formed in substantially a common plane perpendicular to the plane 26 with each entire leg being positioned close to and generally parallel to the other leg.

In a modified clip 10, noting FIG. 5, the loop 18 can be formed parallel to the remainder of the clip with the portions 20 diverging slightly laterally of each other so as to overlap the portions 22.

In actual use, the loop or looped portion 18 will receive an article, for example the Christmas or decorative light 34, and preferably resiliently retain the article due to the spring nature of the clip itself. As will be appreciated from FIG. 3, the loop 18, through a lateral movement of the legs relative to each other, can be expanded slightly so as to provide for a frictional gripping of a received article. By the same token, the jaw portions of the clip 10 are to be expanded, through a compression of the two bowed portions 24 toward each other, so as to enable the receipt of a portion of a mounting structure, for example the lower end portion of the fascia board 36 of FIG. 4, so as to effect a mounting of the clip and thereby the supported article. The jaws themselves, through the resilient nature of the clip material and the sharpened tips 32 thereon, rigidly afiix the clip to the support structure until intentionally removed through an expansion of the jaws by a compression of the bowed portions 24. Of particular importance is the fact that an expansion of the jaws for engagement with a supporting structure, being effected laterally of the plane of the article receiving loop 18, will not to any appreciable degree affect the configuration or size of the loop portion 18, and thereby not loosen or release the loop gripped article. Further, noting FIG. 4 in particular, it will be appreciated that the crossed elongated portions 28, by engaging against the support structure in conjunction with the gripping of the structure by the jaws, will tend to provide for a significant stabilizing of the clip 10, this also contributing to the desirability of the clip 10 as a mounting means. With regard to clip 10 of FIG. 5, it will be appreciated that the expanding of the jaws to grip a structure will produce a contraction of the loop 18' and a compression of a member received therein.

While the clip has been illustrated as being particularly adapted for use in mounting decorative or Christmas type lights, it should also be appreciated that, in view of the ease with which the clip can be mounted and removed, in conjunction with the stability of the mounted clip, this clip can be used for substantially any foreseeable purpose wherein an article is to be suspended or mounted on a support. Some examples would be the use of the clip, the size thereof varying as needed, in supporting suspended ceilings from overhead joists, either temporarily or permanently supporting pipes or cables, mounting Christmas lights on trees, etc.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A spring metal mounting clip formed to define a pair of substantially equal length legs, an integral loop interconnecting the legs at a first end thereof, said legs including first portions extending generally radially outward from the loop in a common plane with the loop, each leg, beyond the first portion, defining a second laterally bowed portion projecting generally perpendicularly out of the plane of the loop, said bowed portions extending in opposite directions and each terminating in an inwardly directed generally linear portion extending through the plane of the loop and therebeyond to a point past the bowed portion of the opposite leg, said linearly extending portions crossing each other generally in the plane of said loop, the extreme end portions of said linearly extending portions being reversely bent and defining gripping hooks.

2. The clip of claim 1 wherein said gripping hooks are coplanar.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,892,678 1/1933 McIntyre et al. 2,232,505 2/1941 Abbott 2fl81 2,521,927 9/1950 Magidson. 2,850,780 9/1958 Alison.

FOREIGN PATENTS 12,122 1889 Great Britain.

DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner 

